Suzuka Circuit, August 17: Qualifying for the longest race of the SUPER GT season, the "42nd International Pokka Sapporo 1000km" was held in typically scorching August conditions as a field of 38 cars jockeyed for grid positions. Topping the timesheets, the #23 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R took its second pole of the season, with the #18 Weider Modulo HSV-010 GT just two tenths behind, and the #36 PETRONAS TOM'S SC430 in third.

With only three cars in the GT500 class on the French tyre maker's rubber, Michelin was happy to see a pair of them locking out the front row of the grid ahead of the toughest test of the year.

In GT300, the #61 SUBARU BRZ R&D SPORT once again took pole (for the fourth time this season), Kota Sasaki auspiciously celebrating his 100th SUPER GT event with the result. The team has yet to turn its gleaming Saturday performances into wins however - but maybe that will change at Suzuka. Occupying 2nd on the grid, the #3 NDDP-entered S ROAD GT-R beat out the #50 Exe Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3, the British supercar a surprise third in the capable hands of Hideto Yasuoka.

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